Methods of Playing Card Games of Strategy and Chance

ABSTRACT

Methods of playing card games of strategy and chance involving both a main pot and a bonus pot and in which players may perform atypical card game actions such as robbing or killing a dragon. Players invoke events by displaying, or playing, predetermined cards or pattern combinations of cards. Players may rob the dragon, thereby requiring all other players to return played cards back to their hand. Players may kill the dragon in order to win a bonus pot. Players may also be disqualified for committing a foul. The method of the present invention also increases revenue for a house hosting the method by requiring all players to place a wager prior to viewing his or her cards and by allowing the players more opportunities to raise his or her wagers.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Embodiments of the present invention generally relate to methods ofplaying card games of strategy and chance. More specifically, thepresent invention relates to methods of playing card games of strategyand chance including atypical actions such as robbing or killing adragon, wherein the methods also generate greater revenue for a househosting the method by requiring all players to place a wager prior toviewing his or her cards and by allowing the players more opportunitiesto raise his or her wagers.

Various methods of playing card games of strategy and chance are knownin the art. In many such games, cards are shuffled by the dealer anddealt to the players. In certain games, the players then attempt todiscard the cards they have been dealt. For example, in the Uno® cardgame, each player attempts to remove all of his or her cards from his orher hand by placing them in a discard pile. In order for a player todiscard a card, it must match the numerical value or the color of thecard discarded by the previous player.

In other similar games, a player attempts to combine specific cards tocreate a predetermined pattern for the purpose of scoring points,discarding the cards in his or her hand, and/or creating a bettercombination than his or her competitors. For example, in the game ofpoker, each player attempts to win a hand by playing a higher rankingcombination of cards than those played by the other competing players.

It also known in the art to place wagers on the outcome of card games ofstrategy and chance. The wagers are often placed by each player in thegame. The wager is typically a sum of money, wherein the amount isdetermined by the players. For example, in the game of poker, eachplayer places an initial monetary wager at the beginning of the game.During the course of play, this wager may be increased by one or moreplayers. Any player who does not wish to increase his or her wager maywithdraw from the game, or round, by returning his cards to the dealerin an act known as folding. The player who has the best combination atthe end of the game is awarded the wagers.

Many card games of skill and chance are played in casinos. Some suchgames include Blackjack, Three Card Poker, Five Card Poker, and TexasHold'Em. In each of these games, the player must place a wager on theoutcome of the game, wherein the amount of the wager is typicallydetermined by the casino. The winning player is typically awarded apercentage of the wagers, wherein such percentage is typicallydetermined by the casino. However, in some such games, such asBlackjack, if the player does not win the game, then his or her wagerbecomes the property of the casino. In some such games, the casinogenerates greater revenue as compared to those in which the winningplayer wins a percentage of the wagers.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Briefly stated, in one aspect of the present invention, a method ofplaying a card game is provided. This method includes the followingsteps: receiving an initial main pot wager from each of a plurality ofplayers; receiving an initial bonus pot wager from each of saidplurality of players; dealing cards to said plurality of players in aface down manner; selecting a first player; allowing said first playerto raise at least one of the group consisting of said initial main potwager; said initial bonus pot wager; and combinations thereof; allowingeach of said plurality of players other than said first player to raiseat least one of the group consisting of said initial main pot wager;said initial bonus pot wager; and combinations thereof; allowing saidplurality of players to view said cards; allowing said first player tobecome a current player and initiate a flow; allowing each subsequentplayer to sequentially become said current player and take a turn insaid flow until either all of said players pass or one of said playersholds zero cards; and initiating subsequent flows until or unless one ofsaid players holds zero cards.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS

The foregoing summary, as well as the following detailed description ofpreferred embodiments of the invention, will be better understood whenread in conjunction with the appended drawings. For the purpose ofillustrating the invention, there is shown in the drawings embodimentswhich are presently preferred. It should be understood, however, thatthe invention is not limited to the precise arrangements andinstrumentalities shown. In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a top view of a poker table in accordance with one embodimentof the present invention;

FIGS. 2A-2D depict a flowchart of the steps of a process for playing acard game of strategy and chance in accordance with one embodiment ofthe present invention; and

FIGS. 3A-3D depict one method of calculating a house rake for inaccordance with one embodiment of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Where a term is provided in the singular, the inventors also contemplateaspects of the invention described by the plural of that term. As usedin this specification and in the appended claims, the singular forms“a”, “an” and “the” include plural references unless the context clearlydictates otherwise, e.g., “a card” may include a plurality of cards.Thus, for example, a reference to “a method” includes one or moremethods, and/or steps of the type described herein and/or which willbecome apparent to those persons skilled in the art upon reading thisdisclosure.

Unless defined otherwise, all technical and scientific terms used hereinhave the same meaning as commonly understood by one of ordinary skill inthe art to which this invention belongs. Although any methods andmaterials similar or equivalent to those described herein can be used inthe practice or testing of the present invention, the preferred methods,constructs and materials are now described. All publications mentionedherein are incorporated herein by reference in their entirety. Wherethere are discrepancies in terms and definitions used in references thatare incorporated by reference, the terms used in this application shallhave the definitions given herein.

Referring first to FIG. 1, an exemplary table 100 for a method ofplaying a card game in accordance with the present invention isdepicted. Table 100 includes, inter alia, dealer seat 102, player seats104, main pot location 106, bonus pot location 108, dealers' deck ofcards 110, and discard pile 112. Although table 100 is depicted ashaving an oval shape, other shapes may be substituted without departingfrom the scope of the present invention. Other arrangements may also besubstituted without departing from the scope hereof.

Additionally, table 100 is shown as including six player seats 104.Although six seats are shown, the game of the present invention may beplayed with two to six players without departing from the scope of thepresent invention. In the depicted embodiment, each of the playersreceives eight (8) cards regardless of the number of players. However,alternate embodiments of the present invention are envisioned in whicheach player receives a varying quantity of cards. In some suchembodiments, the number of cards per player may range from three (3) tothirteen (13). In embodiments in which players receive a higher quantityof cards, the number of players may be reduced as needed below six (6)to avoid use of a second deck of cards. However, alternate embodimentsof the present invention are envisioned in which more than one deck ofcards may be used. Varying quantities of players and/or cards may besubstituted without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Also, although table 100 is shown with a dealer seat 102, embodiments ofthe present invention are envisioned in which one of the playersperforms the functions of the dealer in lieu of an independent dealer.Also, in a two player game, one of the two players may be the dealer.Additionally, the other elements of table 100 are discussed in greaterdetail below in relation to the flowcharts of FIGS. 2A through 2D.

Turning now to FIG. 2A, illustrated is an exemplary method of playing acard game in accordance with one embodiment of the present invention.Process 200 begins at 201, at which a game begins. Process 200 thenproceeds to 202, at which a first round of play begins. Each game iscomposed of a plurality of rounds. The number of rounds is determined byevents that take place in the game as further discussed below.

Next, at 203, each player (e.g., players seated in player seats 104)places a wager in player display area 114 for each of the two pots,namely, the main pot and the bonus pot. In some embodiments of theinvention, the wagers are a predetermined amount or they are required tobe within a predetermined range. This amount or range may be specifiedby any entity, however, it is envisioned that they will be set by theestablishment hosting the game (e.g., a casino) or one or more playersof the game. That is, in some embodiments, each player is required tocontribute the same initial wager of a predetermined value to the mainpot and/or the bonus pot. Or, in an alternative embodiment, each playermay contribute differing wagers without departing from the scope of thepresent invention.

The main pot and bonus pot are accumulations of money that representsthe total of the monetary wagers that are stake at any given time. Themain pot and the bonus pot are created when the dealer places eachplayer's main and bonus wagers in a predetermined location, for example,in the main pot location 106 and the bonus pot location 108,respectively, of exemplary table 100 as depicted in FIG. 1. In theexemplary embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2Athrough 2D, all players are required to contribute to both pots at thestart of a round. However, this is not required to implement the methodof the present invention. For example, in an alternative embodiment, thebonus pot may be eliminated and/or players may contribute to either potat a time other than the start of a round. In yet another alternative,one or more pots may be eliminated without departing from the scope ofthe present invention.

The main pot is awarded to the player who wins the round at theconclusion of the round. The bonus pot is only awarded in specificcircumstances, which are further discussed below. Therefore, unlike themain pot, the bonus pot is carried over from round to round and itsvalue may increase as multiple rounds are played.

In the embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2A through2D, an individual wishing to join the game after the first round of playmay select one of two options for his or her contribution to the bonuspot. First, an individual may become eligible to win the entire bonuspot by contributing an amount of money equal to the amount contributedto the current bonus pot by each player per round multiplied by thenumber of rounds that have occurred since a player won the bonus pot.For example, if the bonus pot has not been awarded for three rounds,then the player wishing to join the game has the option of wagering anamount equal to what they would have wagered if they had participated inall three previous rounds plus the wager for the current round.

Alternatively, a player wishing to join the game can become eligible towin a percentage of the bonus pot (in lieu of the entire bonus pot) bywagering an amount equal to the required bonus pot wager for that round.In this scenario, if this new player wins the bonus pot, the playerwould only receive a portion of the bonus pot. For example, if it takessix rounds to win the bonus pot and the new player only added wagers tothe bonus pot in three of the six rounds, the player may win fifty (50)percent of the bonus pot. In the event that one or more players joinafter the first round and contribute partial wagers to the bonus pot,the dealer may elect to place the partial wagers in a separate location(e.g., a side pot) in order to more easily allocate the winnings whenthe bonus pot is awarded. However, alternate methods of apportioningand/or tracking some or all of the bonus pot may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Additionally, a player may elect to leave the game at the end of a roundbefore a new round begins even if the bonus pot has not been awarded andit includes the player's bonus pot wager(s). In this scenario, theplayer loses all of his or her wagers contributed to the current bonuspot. If a player leaves the game and forfeits his or her wagers, thenall other players become eligible to win the forfeited wagers. In theexample discussed above, if a player who contributed wagers for allrounds from the start of the game leaves the game, then the otherplayers become eligible to win the wagers abandoned by the originalplayer. One exception to this would be the excusing of the player for abathroom break. Such breaks would typically be limited in duration. Forexample, such breaks may be limited to two (2) minutes or some alternatetime without departing from the scope of the present invention. Theestablishment hosting the game earns a greater commission by notallowing refunds of bonus pot wagers because the hosting establishmentcannot earn a commission on a refunded wager. That is, when a wager isrefunded to a player, the casino does not earn a commission on therefunded amount. However, if the wager is forfeited by the originalcontributor but is then later awarded to another player, the hostingestablishment earns its regular commission on this amount as furtherdiscussed below with respect to FIGS. 3A-3D.

After the players place their wagers in player display area 114, process200 proceeds to 204, at which the player who will take the first turn(i.e., the first player) in the round is selected. In one embodiment ofthe present invention, the first player is selected via a random numbergenerator (“RNG”). This can be any RNG commonly known in the art. Forexample, if there are five players, each player is assigned a numberbetween one and five, and the dealer would use the RNG to select anumber between one and five. The player that corresponds to the numberselected by the RNG is designated to take the first turn. In a round inwhich there is only one player 104, the dealer 102 acts as a player andhe or she may also be selected to take the first turn. Although thedepicted embodiment of the present invention utilizes a RNG, othermethods of selecting the first player may be substituted withoutdeparting from the scope of the present invention.

Next at 206, the cards are dealt. The cards are dealt from a standardfifty-two (52) card deck. Each player receives eight (8) cards. If thereis only one player, then the dealer also receives eight (8) cards. Whenthere is only one player, the dealer participates in the game in thesame manner as any other player with a few exceptions as described indetail herein. The dealer places the cards face down on the table infront of each person participating in the round starting with the firstplayer selected in step 204. After all of the required cards have beendealt, any remaining cards are placed in the dealers' deck of cards(e.g., dealers' deck of cards 110). Although each player receives eight(8) cards in the exemplary embodiment depicted in FIGS. 2A through 2D, avarying quantity of cards may be substituted without departing from thescope of the present invention.

Next at 208, the dealer collects wagers for the main and bonus pot fromeach player. That is, each player gives the main pot wager and bonus potwager stored the in player display area 114 to the dealer. The dealerthen places the wagers in designated locations such as main pot location106 and bonus pot location 108.

Process 200 then proceeds to step 210, at which the selected firstplayer may raise the wagers in the main and/or bonus pots. That is, thefirst player may elect to contribute additional wagers to the main potand/or bonus pot beyond the initial wagers. In the embodiment of thepresent invention depicted in FIGS. 2A through 2D, the main pot raiseand the bonus pot raise may be any amount from zero up to three timesthe table limit. The table limit defines the minimum and maximum allowedinitial wagers. The casino sets the table limit in order to maximize therevenue that they receive from the game. For example, if a table has atable limit of fifty dollars, then the initial wager must be eitherfifty (50) dollars or some other range having a maximum of fifty (50)dollars as defined by the casino. In this example, the maximum raisewould be three times the table limit, or one hundred fifty (150)dollars. However, other acceptable raise values may be substitutedwithout departing from the scope of the present invention. In addition,the main pot raise and bonus pot may have different limits and/or one ormore of the raises may be unlimited.

If the selected first player elects to raise the main pot wager and/orthe bonus pot wager, then the first player adds the amount of the raiseto the raise pot 116. The raise pot 116 is an accumulation of money thatrepresents the total monetary raise wagers that are at stake at a giventime. The raise pot 116 includes two subtotals; the main pot raise andthe bonus pot raise. All other players participating in the currentround must also determine whether to raise their main pot wager and/orbonus pot wager. Wagers are made in the same manner in which playerswill play their cards. For example, in one embodiment, wagers and playproceed clockwise around the table. After the current player has placeda wager or played his or her cards, the player seated to the left of thecurrent player becomes the new current player. The current player thenplaces his or her wager or plays his or her cards, respectively.However, alternate embodiments are envisioned in which play proceedscounterclockwise around the table. Once all players have been providedwith the opportunity to raise his or her bet, the first player is againprovided with an opportunity to raise. Thereafter, each of the otherplayers also has the opportunity to re-raise his or her bets. Thisprocess continues until none of the players wish to raise his or herbets. However, alternate embodiments are envisioned in which each playeris only provided a limited quantity of raises (e.g. one, two, etc.)without departing from the scope of the present invention.

The wager placed by the current player may be any amount up to threetimes the table limit regardless of the amount raised by the selectedfirst player. That is, the current player may elect to raise the mainpot wager and/or bonus pot wager by an amount smaller or greater thanthat raised by the selected first player. If a player does not elect toraise their wagers, then that player may still participate in the round.Alternatively, embodiments of the present invention are envisioned inwhich all players are required to raise their wagers to participate in around if a preceding player has raised his or her wager. In yet anotherembodiment of the present invention, all players are required to raisetheir wagers to an amount equal to the amount by which the precedingplayer has raised his or her wager.

Next, process 200 proceeds to 211, at which the house rake iscalculated. The house rake is a monetary amount charged by theestablishment hosting the game. A house rake will typically be chargedwhen the game is played in a casino or similar environment; however, itis not necessary to implement the methods of the present invention. Itis anticipated that the house rake for the present invention will begreater than the house rake generated for a standard poker game becausethe present invention requires each player to place a wager before theplayer views his or her cards. That is, unlike traditional poker games,a player cannot fold without placing an initial wager. Additionally, thepresent invention allows each player to contribute an additional wager(i.e., a raise) to one or both pots at the start of each round. Thisshould generate a higher house rake because the house takes a percentageof all raises. In some embodiments of the present invention, the hostingestablishment may generate a greater house rake by giving players theopportunity to further increase their wager while a round is inprogress. That is, allowing each player to raise their wager at sometime after step 210 can generate a greater house rake. In such an event,the house rake may be recalculated at any time as necessary.

In the embodiment of the present invention depicted in FIGS. 2A through2D, the house rake is the sum of three separate house rakes (i.e., themain pot rake, the bonus pot rake, and the raise rake) as depicted inFIGS. 3A through 3D. The main pot rake is calculated by summing the mainpot wagers 302 of each player. In this example, each of six playerscontribute fifty (50) dollars to the main pot, which sums to a main pottotal 306 of three hundred (300) dollars. The main pot rake 312 is thencalculated by multiplying the main pot total 306 by the main pot rakepercentage 310. In this example, the main pot rake percentage 310 isfive (5) percent. Therefore, the main pot rake 312 is calculated to befifteen (15) dollars by multiplying the main pot total 306 (i.e.,$300.00) by the main pot rake percentage 310 (i.e., 5%).

The bonus pot rake, depicted in FIG. 3B, is calculated by first summingthe bonus pot wagers 304 of each player. In this example, each of sixplayers contributed fifty (50) dollars which sums to a bonus pot total308 of three hundred (300) dollars. The bonus pot rake 316 is thencalculated by multiplying the bonus pot total 308 by the bonus pot rakepercentage 314. In this example, the bonus pot rake percentage 314 isfive (5) percent. Therefore, the bonus pot rake 316 is calculated to befifteen (15) dollars by multiplying the bonus pot total 308 (i.e.,$300.00) by the bonus pot rake percentage 314 (i.e., 5%).

The raise rake, as depicted in FIG. 3C, is calculated by summing theraise wagers of each player for the main and bonus pots. In thisexample, each of six players contributed a main pot raise 330 of ten(10) dollars which sums to a total main pot raise 318 of sixty (60)dollars. Each player additionally made a bonus pot raise 332 of ten (10)dollars. The total bonus pot raise 320 wagered by all six players issixty (60) dollars. The total raise 322 is the sum of these two amounts,or one hundred twenty (120) dollars. The raise rake 326 is thencalculated by multiplying the total raise 322 by the raise rakepercentage 324. In this example, the raise rake percentage 324 is five(5) percent. Therefore, the raise rake is calculated to be six (6)dollars by multiplying the total raise 322 by the raise rake percentage324 (i.e., 5%).

The total house rake, as depicted in FIG. 3D, is calculated by summingthe main pot rake 312, the bonus pot rake 316, and the raise rake 326.Therefore, the total house rake 328 is calculated to be thirty-six (36)dollars by summing the main pot rake (i.e., $15), the bonus pot rake(i.e., $15), and the raise rake (i.e., $6). However, other methods ofcalculating the house rake, if any, may be substituted. For example, thehouse rake may be the sum of a per round charge paid by each player.After the house rake is calculated, process 200 proceeds to step 212.

At step 212, the players are allowed to view their cards for the firsttime in the round. However, alternate embodiments are envisioned inwhich the players are allowed to view their cards earlier or later inthe game. For example, players may be allowed to view their cards priorto determining whether to raise. However, such an embodiment maydecrease the revenue generated by the house, if any.

Next, at step 213, any player holding four consecutive pairs in his orher hand has the opportunity to declare it and display his or her handto the other players. Four consecutive pairs is defined below. Anyplayer who declares four consecutive pairs and who is confirmed to beholding four consecutive pairs in his or her hand automatically wins theround. Process 200 then proceeds to step 214, at which the winningplayer is awarded the money in the main pot. The round then ends at 216.

Next, process 200 proceeds to 217 at which it is determined whether theend of the game has been reached. In the embodiment of the presentinvention depicted in FIGS. 2A through 2D, the end of the game isreached after the bonus pot is awarded. During the game, an eventresulting in the bonus pot being awarded typically occurs after anaverage of six rounds. However, the bonus pot can be awarded during anyround without departing from the scope of the present invention,including, but not limited to, the first round of play. At this point,the game ends because the bonus pot has been awarded.

In the event that only a portion of the bonus pot is awarded as furtherdiscussed above, then the portion of the bonus pot that remainsunawarded is held by the hosting establishment and the game continuesuntil a new winner wins the remaining bonus pot. The portion of thebonus pot that each player is eligible to win does not change at thispoint in the game unless a player leaves the table and forfeits his orher wagers. However, the game may conclude after a specific quantity ofrounds or based upon some other event without departing from the scopeof the present invention. If the game is determined to have ended,process 200 proceeds to 219 at which the game ends. Alternatively, ifthe game has not ended, process 200 returns to 202 at which a new roundof play begins as described above.

Alternatively, if, at 213, no player is holding four consecutive pairs,then process 200 proceeds to 218, at which the selected first playerplaces one or more cards in the player's display area such that the faceof the cards are visible to the other players. In the exemplary tabledepicted in FIG. 1, player display area 114 is located directly in frontof the player on the surface of table 100. In such an embodiment of theinvention, the player places his or her cards face up on the portion ofthe table located directly in front of the player. However, varyinglocations for a player display area may be substituted without departingfrom the scope of the present invention.

The card(s) to be placed in the player display area (i.e., the displayedcards) are strategically selected by the first player based upon thetotality of the cards in the first player's hand and the possible“pattern” combinations that may be made with such cards. A patterncombination of cards is a predetermined combination of cards inaccordance with the rules of the game. These predetermined combinationsdetermine the manner in which each player is allowed to remove cardsfrom his or her hand for placement in the player's respective carddisplay area. Since one method of winning a round of the game is to bethe player that first disposes of all of the cards in his or her hand,one strategy involved in the game is to determine which combinations,and which order of displaying such combinations, will maximize theplayer's chance for disposing of all of his or her cards and/orotherwise winning the round. That is, the selected first playerstrategically chooses to initially display a card or a pattern of cardsthat will maximize their chance of disposing of all cards in his or herhand before any other player disposes of the cards in his or her hand.

Additional strategy may be involved when the first player determineswhich card or pattern combination of cards to initially display as thisdisplay initiates a first “flow” of the round and it determines whatcards or pattern combinations of cards may be displayed by the otherplayers during that flow. That is, once a card or pattern combination ofcards is displayed or played by the first player, all cards or patterncombinations played by subsequent players must be the same pattern. Aflow is the display of cards or pattern combinations of cards by anyplayer that occurs after the initial display of a card or a patterncombination of cards by the first player. A flow begins with the initialdisplay of a card or a pattern combination of cards by the first playerand it continues until either: 1) a player disposes of all cards in hisor her hand; or 2) none of the players is able to display a card or apattern combination of cards based upon the previously displayed cards.

In accordance with the embodiment of the present invention depicted inFIGS. 2A through 2D, a decreasing value hierarchy is assigned to eachsuit of cards in a standard fifty-two (52) card deck as follows: 2, A,K, Q, J, 10-3. Additionally, a decreasing hierarchy based upon suit isas follows: hearts, diamonds, clubs, and spades. During play, eachcurrent player must display a combination of a higher value hierarchy.It should be noted that varying value and suit hierarchies may besubstituted without departing from the scope of the present invention.

In addition to the hierarchies based upon suit and value, the followingpattern combinations exist: a) Straight Flush (i.e., at least threecards of the same suit in the value order defined above); b) Flush(i.e., at least three cards of the same suit); c) Straight (i.e., atleast three cards in the value order defined above); d) Three of a Kind(i.e., three cards of the same value); e) Pair (i.e., two cards of thesame value); f) Two Consecutive Pairs (i.e., two pairs with adjacentvalues in the numerical value order defined above); g) Single Card(i.e., any one card regardless of value or suit); h) Three ConsecutivePairs (i.e., three pairs with adjacent values in the numerical valueorder defined above); i) Four Consecutive Pairs (i.e., four pairs withadjacent values in the numerical value order defined above); j) TwoConsecutive Three of a Kind (i.e., two three of a kind with adjacentvalues in the numerical value order defined above); and k) Four of aKind (i.e., four cards of the same value). However, varying embodimentsof the present invention are envisioned with differing patterncombinations.

It should be noted that in the embodiment of the present inventiondepicted in FIGS. 1 through 3, the lowest possible value of the lowestcard in a straight flush is three (3) and the highest possible value ofthe highest card in a straight flush is two (2). That is, a straightflush in the form of A-2-3 or 2-3-4 is not permissible because there canbe no looping of the value hierarchy. However, alternate embodiments ofthe present invention are envisioned in which such looping ispermissible without departing from the scope of the present invention.

Next, process 200 proceeds to step 228, at which the current player'scards are queried to determine if there are any cards left in thecurrent player's hand. If no, process 200 proceeds to step 229. Step 229queries the cards displayed by the winner of the round (i.e., the firstplayer to dispose of all cards in his or her hand) to determine if thewinning player displayed, or played, a card with a value of two (2) anda suit of hearts. If no, process 200 proceeds to step 214, at whichprocess 200 proceeds as discussed above for step 214. Alternatively, ifthe player is displaying a card with a value of two (2) and a suit ofhearts, then process 200 proceeds to step 226, at which the player isawarded all or a portion of both the main pot and the bonus pot. Process200 then proceeds to 216, at which it proceeds as discussed above forstep 216.

Alternatively, if, at step 228, the current player still holds cards inhis or her hand, process 200 proceeds to step 231 at which a new playerbecomes the current player and takes his or her turn. In one embodimentof the present invention, play passes from player to player based upon aclockwise rotation around the table. However, other methods ofdetermining the turn of each player may be substituted without departingfrom the scope of the present invention including, but not limited to,counterclockwise rotation.

Next, at step 220, the new current player determines whether he or shehas a higher value card or pattern combination of cards than that playedby the previous player. In accordance with the rules of the game, cardsto be displayed, or played, by a current player must have a higherranking (as determined based upon the hierarchy discussed above) thanthe cards played by the previous player. Additionally, if a patterncombination of cards was previously displayed, or played, the subsequentplayer must display a pattern combination of cards having the samepattern and having a higher ranking For example, if the previous playerdisplays two consecutive pairs, then the subsequent player must displaytwo consecutive pairs having a higher rank. In this exemplary instance,the higher ranking two consecutive pairs may be: 1) two consecutivepairs having the same value as the previously played two consecutivepairs but a higher suit ranking; 2) two consecutive pairs having ahigher value than the previously played two consecutive pairs and thesame suit; or 3) two consecutive pairs having a higher value and ahigher ranking suit than the previously played two consecutive pairs.

When determining if a pattern combination of cards is higher in rankthan a previously played pattern combination of cards, the highestranking cards of each combination are compared regardless of the rank ofany lower ranking or intervening cards. For example, if the previouslyplayed pattern combination of cards is two consecutive pairs and itincludes a five (5) of spades, a five (5) of hearts, a four (4) ofclubs, and a four (4) of diamonds, then a subsequent player would beunable to play a five (5) of diamonds, a five (5) of clubs, a four (4)of hearts, and a four (4) of diamonds. The subsequent player does nothave a higher ranking pattern combination of cards because the highestranking card of the previously played pattern is a five (5) of heartsand the highest ranking card of the subsequent player's cards is a five(5) of diamonds and a suit of hearts ranks higher than a suit ofdiamonds. Therefore, the two consecutive pairs played by the previousplayer ranks higher than the two consecutive pairs in the hand of thesubsequent player. It is irrelevant that the subsequent player'sconsecutive pair of fours has a higher rank than the previously playedpair of fours. That is, in this example, the five (5) of hearts and thefive (5) of diamonds are the highest ranking card of each patterncombination of cards and it is these cards that are compared when makingthe determination of rank. The card whose suit is a heart ranks higherthan the card whose suit is a diamond. In this scenario, the currentplayer is required to choose a different higher ranking patterncombination of cards or to pass (as discussed below).

At 220, if the current player does not possess a higher ranking card orpattern combination of cards in his or her hand, then method 200proceeds to 222, at which the current player must announce a “pass” andmethod 200 continues as depicted in FIG. 2B as further discussed below.However, process 200 will also proceed to 220 if the current player hasa higher ranking card or pattern combination of cards in his or her handbut chooses to pass for strategic reasons. That is, if the currentplayer possesses a higher ranking card or pattern combination of cardsin his or her hand but does not wish to play the card or combination atthat time, he or she may elect to pass even though he or she coulddisplay, or play, cards. For example, the current player may elect topass even though he or she possesses a higher ranking card orcombination if the player believes that one or more of the higherranking cards or combination of cards could be better used at a latertime (e.g., in a later flow) standalone or in a different patterncombination of cards. This exemplary scenario may occur, for example, ifthe higher ranking pattern combination of cards is a pair of fours (4),one being a spade and one being a diamond, but the current player isalso holding three other cards of the diamond suit in his or her hand.In this example, the player may elect to pass in order to retain thefour of diamonds to maintain the chance of potentially displaying aFlush. One exception to this rule occurs when there is only one playerother than the dealer 102. In this scenario, the dealer may not elect torefrain from playing a higher ranking card or pattern combination ofcards if it is in his or her hand regardless of any potential advantagethat may be gained. However, alternate embodiments of the presentinvention are envisioned in which the dealer may pass rather thanplaying a higher ranking card or pattern combination of cards.

If, at 222, the current player passes, then he or she may not play anyother cards or pattern combination of cards for the remainder of thecurrent flow. After the current flow has ended and a subsequent flow hasbegun, the passing player may again participate.

Alternatively, if at step 220, the current player elects to play ahigher ranking card or pattern combination of cards, then method 200proceeds to 223, at which the cards are displayed, or played, in theplayer's card display area. The played card or combination of cards maybe any that rank higher than the cards or combination played by theprevious player.

Next, method 200 proceeds to step 224, at which it is determined if a“Rob the Dragon” event has occurred. A “Rob the Dragon” event takesplace when a player plays one of a set of predetermined patterncombinations of cards. In the embodiment of the present inventiondepicted in FIGS. 2A through 2D, the predetermined Rob the Dragonpattern combinations of cards include Three Consecutive Pairs or TwoConsecutive Three of a Kind, both of which are defined above. However,alternate Rob the Dragon pattern combinations of cards may besubstituted without departing from the scope of the present invention.

If, at 224, the current player has played a Rob the Dragon patterncombination of cards, then a Rob the Dragon event has occurred andmethod 200 proceeds to step 252 as depicted in FIG. 2C and as discussedin greater detail below.

Alternatively, if a Rob the Dragon event has not occurred, method 200proceeds to step 225, at which it is determined if a “Kill the Dragon”event has occurred. A “Kill the Dragon” event takes place when thecurrent player plays a specific predetermined pattern combination ofcards at a specific point in the game. If the previous player played asingle two (2) of any suit and the current player plays a Four of a Kindof any suit as defined above, then a Kill the Dragon event has occurredand method 200 proceeds to step 267 as depicted in FIG. 2D and asdiscussed in greater detail below. If a Kill the Dragon event has notoccurred, then method 200 proceeds to step 226.

Step 226 determines if a player foul has occurred. A player “fouls” andis disqualified from participating in the remainder of the round if heor she plays an invalid combination of cards. An invalid combination isany combination of cards that does not follow the pattern establishedfor the current flow, or is not a higher ranking card or combination ofcards. For example, if the previous player played a pair of threes (3),one of hearts and one of spades, and the current player plays a pair ofthrees (3), one of diamonds and one of clubs, then the current playerhas committed a foul. The reason for this is that, in this exemplaryinstance, the three (3) of hearts played by the previous player ishigher in rank than both the three (3) of diamonds and the three (3) ofclubs played by the current player. Since the pattern combination ofcards played by the current player is not higher than that played by theprevious player, it is considered invalid. A player may also “foul” byplacing card(s) in the player's display area, changing his or her mind,and retrieving the card(s) for placement back into the player's hand.

If, at 226, the current player has committed a foul, process 200proceeds to step 227, at which the player is disqualified. Adisqualified player may not participate in the current flow or anysubsequent flows for the round. After the current round is completed,the player may participate in following rounds. The player who commitsthe foul, therefore, loses his or her main pot wager as the main pot isawarded at the end of the current round. However, the bonus pot wager ofthe player who commits the foul is preserved and remains valid for thenext round unless the Bonus pot is awarded during the round in which theplayer is disqualified.

Alternatively, if, at 226, the current player has not fouled, method 200returns to step 228 as discussed in detail above. If, at step 222, thecurrent player passes, then method 200 proceeds to step 232 as depictedin FIG. 2B. At step 232, a determination is made as to whether allplayers participating in the current round have passed for the currentflow. If any one of the player has not passed, then method 200 returnsto step 231, at which a new player takes his or her turn and method 200proceeds as described in detail above.

Alternatively, if, at step 232, all players have passed, then method 200proceeds to step 238. At step 238, the current flow ends and method 200proceeds to step 240, at which all cards displayed or played by theplayers during the course of the just ended flow are placed in a discardpile such as discard pile 112 (FIG. 1). The cards remaining in theplayers' hands or reshuffled and re-dealt. Therefore, when a new flow isinitiated, each player who displayed or played cards during the previousflow will have fewer cards. The quantity of cards will be equal to thetotal cards received by each player at the beginning of the previousround minus any cards displayed, or played, by the player in theprevious round.

Next, at step 242, the last player to display, or play, a valid card orpattern combination of cards during the previous flow initiates the newflow with any valid card combination and establishes the pattern for thenew flow. Method 200 then returns to step 228 and proceeds as discussedin greater detail above.

As discussed above, step 224 determines whether a Rob the Dragon eventhas occurred. If yes, process 200 proceeds to 252 as depicted in FIG.2C. At step 252, all players (other than the one who is “robbing thedragon”) who have displayed cards during the current flow prior to theRob the Dragon event must retrieve the displayed cards and return themto their respective hands. However, the player who is robbing the dragon(i.e., the one who played the Rob the Dragon combination) does notreturn any displayed cards to his or her hand.

Next, process 200 proceeds to step 253, at which the next player takeshis or her turn and becomes the new current player. Next, at 254, thecurrent player may check his or her hand to determine if he or she has ahigher ranking Rob the Dragon pattern combination of cards. If yes,process 200 proceeds to step 256, at which the higher ranking Rob theDragon pattern combination of cards is displayed, or played. Process 200then returns to step 254 and repeats the loop until the new currentplayer does not possess a higher ranking Rob the Dragon patterncombination of cards, at which point process 200 proceeds to 258. At258, the current player passes. Method 200 then proceeds to step 260, atwhich it is determined if all of the players have passed.

If players remain who have not yet passed, method 200 proceeds to step262 at which a new player becomes the current player. Next, at 254, itis determined whether the current player possesses a higher ranking Robthe Dragon pattern combination of cards. If yes, process 200 proceeds to256 at which the current player plays his or her Rob the Dragon patterncombination of cards. This loop repeats until all players have passedand process 200 proceeds to step 238 as further discussed above.Alternatively, if, at 260, all players have passed, then process 200proceeds to 238 as depicted in FIG. 2B and as discussed in greaterdetail above.

As also discussed above, step 225 determines whether a Kill the Dragonevent has occurred. If yes, process 200 proceeds to 267, as depicted inFIG. 2D. At step 267, the next player takes his or her turn and becomesthe new current player. Next, at step 268, the new current player maycheck his or her hand to determine if he or she has a higher rankingKill the Dragon pattern combination of cards. If yes, process 200proceeds to step 270, at which the higher ranking Kill the Dragonpattern combination of cards is displayed, or played. Process 200 thenreturns to step 268 and repeats the loop until the current player doesnot possess a higher ranking Kill the Dragon pattern combination ofcards, at which point process 200 proceeds to 272, at which the currentplayer passes. Method 200 then proceeds to step 274, at which it isdetermined if all of the players have passed.

If players remain who have not yet passed, method 200 proceeds to step275 at which a new player becomes the current player. Next, at 268, itis determined whether the current player possesses a higher ranking Killthe Dragon pattern combination of cards. If yes, process 200 proceeds to270 at which the current player plays his or her Kill the Dragon patterncombination of cards. This loop repeats until all players have passedand process 200 proceeds to 276.

Alternatively, if all players have passed, then process 200 proceeds to276, at which the player who played the highest ranking Kill the Dragonpattern combination of cards is awarded some or all of the bonus pot.Method 200 then returns to 238 as depicted in FIG. 2B and proceeds asdiscussed in greater detail above.

It will be appreciated by those skilled in the art that changes could bemade to the embodiments described above without departing from the broadinventive concept thereof. It is understood, therefore, that thisinvention is not limited to the particular embodiments disclosed, but itis intended to cover modifications within the spirit and scope of thepresent invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim:
 1. A method of playing a card game comprising the steps of:receiving an initial main pot wager from each of a plurality of players;receiving an initial bonus pot wager from each of said plurality ofplayers; dealing cards to said plurality of players in a face downmanner; selecting a first player; allowing said first player to raise atleast one of the group consisting of said initial main pot wager; saidinitial bonus pot wager; and combinations thereof; allowing each of saidplurality of players other than said first player to raise at least oneof the group consisting of said initial main pot wager; said initialbonus pot wager; and combinations thereof; allowing said plurality ofplayers to view said cards; allowing said first player to become acurrent player and initiate a flow; allowing each subsequent player tosequentially become said current player and take a turn in said flowuntil either all of said players pass or one of said players holds zerocards; and initiating subsequent flows until or unless one of saidplayers holds zero cards.
 2. A method according to claim 1 furthercomprising: querying said hands of said players to determine if any ofsaid plurality of players is holding four consecutive pairs.
 3. A methodaccording to claim 1 further comprising: allowing said current player toperform at least one of the group consisting of robbing the dragon,killing the dragon, and combinations thereof.
 4. A method according toclaim 1 further comprising: initiating subsequent rounds until apredetermined number of rounds have been played.